triphenylmethane dye tri·phen·yl·meth·ane dye (trī-fěn'əl-měth'ān', -fē'nəl-)
n.
Any of a group of dyes used as nuclear, cytoplasmic, and connective tissue stains.
any member of a group of extremely brilliant and intensely coloured synthetic organic dyes having molecular structures based upon that of the hydrocarbon triphenylmethane. They have poor resistance to light and to chemical bleaches and are used chiefly in copying papers, in hectograph and printing inks, and in textile applications for which lightfastness is not an important requirement.